Monitor user activity diligently.

Best Practice Monitoring & Accountability Checklist

1. Monitor Logins
   Track who logs in, when, and from which device.  Spotting unusual times or locations (like a “2am login from Paris”) can be the first clue something’s wrong.

2. Spot Unusual Access
   Keep an eye on systems or files that suddenly get a lot of attention.  If the accounts clerk starts opening engineering designs, it’s worth checking why.

3. Watch Privilege Changes
   Anytime someone gains or loses admin rights, log it.  Privilege creep (users collecting more access than they need) is a classic risk.

4. Enable Alerts
   Real-time notifications for suspicious activity (like repeated failed logins) let you act fast.  The sooner you know, the quicker you can shut down problems.

5. Log Everything
   Audit trails are your safety net.  They show “who did what, and when.”  Essential for accountability, compliance, and forensic investigations if things go wrong.

6. Review Regularly
   Reports shouldn’t gather dust.  Review them weekly or monthly to catch issues early instead of waiting until a cyber incident exposes them.

7. Separate Duties
   No one person should hold all the keys.  Splitting responsibilities (like finance vs approvals) makes insider misuse harder and adds natural checks.

8. Educate Users
   Remind staff they’re not just being watched, they’re part of the cyber defence team.  Awareness training helps them recognise suspicious behaviour too.

9. Use Tools Wisely
   Choose monitoring tools that fit your size and budget.  SMBs don’t need enterprise complexity, just clear visibility and easy reporting.

10. Trust, but Verify
    Foster a culture of accountability without paranoia.  Trust your people, but back it up with sensible monitoring, because even the most loyal can make mistakes.